Attachment for violins and analogous instruments



Dec. 7, 1948. H. A. FELDMAN 2,455,574

ATTACHMENT FOR VIOLINS AND ANALOGOUS INSTRUMENTS Filed Sept. 13, 1945 54 INVENTOR.

#MRYALLEA/ IZzamv Patented Dec. 7, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR VIOLINS AND ANALOGOUS INSTRUMENTS 8 Claims. 1

My invention is concerned with an improved attachment for violins and analogous string instruments in which the fretting of the strings is generally accomplished by the left hand of the player, while the right hand is used in operating the bow.

One of the major difficulties encountered by students beginning the study of the violin, viola, cello or string bass is in locating the correct playing position for the left hand so that the fingers will be in proper relationship to the strings and finger board. These difliculties are multiplied when the player is obliged to change positions while playing the instrument.

I have found that when the thumb of the left hand of the player is properly positioned along the neck of the instrument the entire hand tends to adapt itself more readily to the correct playing position, with the result that the fingers are brought into their proper relationship to the strings and finger board and thus the production of the proper pitch is facilitated.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of my invention to provide an attachment device for violins, Violas, cellos or string bases, based on the specific positioning of the thumb, which shall be so constructed and arranged that students beginning the study of these instruments will be greatly aided in overcoming the hereinbefore mentioned difiiculties without in any way inhibiting the necessary freedom of movement of the hand and fingers.

Another object of my invention is to provide an attachment device of the class described which shall be characterized by the simplicity of its construction and by the ease with which it may be attached to an instrument and removed therefrom without in any way marring or damaging the said instrument.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent from the description to follow or will here inafter be pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a violin with the attachment device of my invention in proper position for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the instrument shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of my invention adapted for use with a cello or string bass;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of a cello showing the attachment device of Fig. 4 but of smaller size and in proper attached position; and

V Fig. 6 is top plan view of the attachment device shown in Fig. 5, but detached from the instrument.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings I have shown an attachment device 10 constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention and adapted for use in connection with a violin or viola. The said attachment device comprises a relatively thin longitudinal main body portion, having top and bottom fiat surfaces l l and 12 respectively, a substantially straight inner longitudinal edge 14 and an outer longitudinal edge l5 of wavy contour to form three indented independent are-as A, B and C. A clearly shown in the drawing-s when the device II] is attached to the instrument for effective use, the straight longitudinal edge I4 is disposed against the longitudinal edge a of the finger board 20 of the violin, in abutting relationship thereto, the said finger board edge 200. being the edge nearest to the player. When in such position the player places the thumb of his left hand in any one of the indented areas A, B or C, pressing against the neck and finger board, such as, for example, in the area B, as shown in Fig. 1, the fingers of the hand will be in proper relationship to the strings and finger board for the B or second position. Similarly, when the thumb is moved to the area A the fingers will be in the proper A position, and when the thumb is in the area B the fingers will be properly arranged for the B position.

It is thus seen that the construction of the attachment device, as above described, provides a guide for changing positions in playing the instrument and materially assists in the mastery of one of the major difiiculties of instrument playing.

Thesepar-ating portions and 26 between the areas A, B and C may be rounded off to facilitate the slidable shifting of the thumb from one position to another.

It is noted by the construction of my attachment device as above described that while the thumb is guided into certain areas, the hand and fingers are left absolutely unhampered so that the player is obliged to discover and determine for himself exactly where the fingers should be placed on the strings for the best results, this being a necessary part'of the training of a beginner.

To removably maintain the device II] in the above described effective position for use the following construction may be provided:

Projecting outwardly from the inner longitudinal edge l4 and disposed near that end of the device [0 which is adjacent to the nut 30 of the violin is a rod-like member 35. Adjacent the opposite end of the said device I and at a predetermined distance from the member 35 is a second rod-like member 36 projecting outwardly from the said edge M. The rod member 35 is designed to be frictionally received between the strings and the Walls of the peg box of the violin at a point beyond the nut 36, while the rod member 36 is designed to be frictionally received between the finger board 2% and the top surface of the main body of the violin at a point substantially Where the neck joins the said main body. The members 35 and 36 may be suitably cammed to insure a better frictional grip. To insure proper retention of the rod member 36, I may provide a flexible member, such as, for example, an elastic band 31 fastened at one end 38 to the attachment device [0, and adapted to partiallyencircle the neck and be fastened to the rod member 36 at the point 39 in any manner well known to the art.

In Figs. 4, and 6, I have shown the attachment device of my invention as applied to instruments of the type of the cello and string bass. It is noted that the attachment device 50 shown in this form of my invention is similar in design, purpose and function to that of the device H]. The said device Ell comprises a longitudinal member having top and bottom flat surfaces 5| and 52, respectively, as substantially straight inner longitudinal edge 53 and an outer edge 54 of wavy contour to form three indented independent areas A B and C Since the way of holding a cello or string bass with the left hand differs from the manner of holding a violin or viola, I mount my attachment device 50 with the inner straight longitudinal edge 53 abutting the rear surface of the neck N of the instrument, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The attachment device 50 may be removably attached to the instrument in the same manner as was employed for attaching the device it], or in any other suitable manner, such as, for example, by providing a member 5Q extending from the edge 53 in offset relationship thereto, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the said member 60 terminating in an end portion Gila adapted to be frictionally received between the strings and the walls of the peg box at a point beyond the nut 5! of the instrument. At the opposite end of the device 50 from that of the extension Eli, I provide a pair of fingers 62, extending from the surfaces 5! and 52 in curved relationship thereto and designed to partially encircle the neck of the instrument with the free edge of the fingers 62 resiliently received in the space between the said neck and the finger board of the instrument, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, together with con struction which I now consider to represent the best embodiments thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a substantially flat main body member having a free inner longitudinal edge and a free outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adjacently disposed along the length thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed with said inner longitudinal edge in abutting relationship with and adjacent to the neck of the instrument and with the said outer longitudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means for removably maintaining said member in said effective position on said instrument 2. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a substantially fiat main body member having a free inner substantially straight longitudinal edge and a free outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adjacently disposed along the length thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed with said inner longitudinal edge in abutting relationship with and adjacent to the neck of the instrument and with the said outer lon itudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means for removably maintaining said member in said effective position on said instrument.

3. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin,

at viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a substantially fiat main body member having a free inner longitudinal edge and a free outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adiacently disposed along the length thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed. With said inner longitudinal edge in abutting relatiowiliip with and adjacent to the neck of the instrument and with the said outer longitudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means carried by said member for removably maintaining said member in said efiective position on said instrument.

l. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a member having an inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of Wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adjacently disposed along the length. thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed with said inner longitudinal edge adjacent to and along the neck of the instrument and with the said outer longitudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means for removably maintaining said memher in said eiiiective position on said instrument, said last named means comprising an integral part having a transverse projecting portion adapted to be frictionally received between the strings and across the top of the peg box at a point beyond the nut of said instrument.

5. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a member having an inner substantially straight longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adjacently disposed along the length thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed with said inner longtudinal edge adjacent to and along the neck of the instrument and with the said outer longitudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means for removabiy maintaining said member in said effective position on said instrument, said last named means comprising a portion projecting from said inner longitudinal edge, said projecting portion being adapted to be frictionally received between the strings and the walls of the peg box at a point beyond the nut of said instrument.

6. An attachment device of the character described for a musical instrument such as a violin, viola, cello, string bass or the like, comprising a member having an inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, said outer longitudinal edge being of wavy contour to provide a plurality of indented areas adjacently disposed along the length thereof and adapted to receive a thumb of the player therein, the said member being adapted, when in effective position, to be disposed with said inner longitudinal edge adjacent to and along the neck of the instrument and with the said outer longitudinal edge containing the indented areas more remote from said neck, and means for removabiy maintaining said member in said effective position on said instrument, said last named means comprising a projecting portion adapted to be frictionally received between the strings and the walls of the peg box at a point beyond the nut of said instrument, and a projecting portion adapted to be frictionally received between the finger board and the main body of the instrument at a point substantially where the neck joins said main body.

7. An attachment device according to claim 1 in which the said indented areas are separated by wall portions to render them independent.

8. An attachment device according to claim 1 in which the said indented areas are separated by wall portions to render them independent and in which said wall portions between the indented areas are rounded to facilitate the sliding movement of the thumb from one indented area to the next adjacent indented area while playing the instrument.

HARRY ALLEN FELDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sieja Mar. 24, 1931 Number 

